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Atwood Water Heater

skipro
Explorer
Explorer
Every year when I begin to winterize, I am faced with the problem that my Atwood 6-gal. water heater does not have a bypass. I end up getting some of the pink stuff in the tank. Is there one that I'm missing? The manual is no help.
12 REPLIES 12

Beverley_Ken
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for the update, glad we helped.

Ken
2006 Winnebago Outlook 29B E-450.
2012 Honda CR-V AWD
Blue Ox Aventa LX tow bar and Brake Buddy Vantage.

skipro
Explorer
Explorer
Well don't I feel dumb. I've had this camper for four years and never noticed the removable panel under the Ref. Four screws later and there it is! Live and learn. Thanks for everyone's patience and advice.

troubledwaters
Explorer
Explorer
If you look really close, you probably find two (or more) screws in the panel below the refrigerator. Take them out, then you you'll have to pry the panel out some because they usually are a pretty tight fit. You should see the water heater and valves behind the panel.

skipro
Explorer
Explorer
Ok, thanks to all who responded. I'll have to dig around some more. The location of this WH is under the Ref., so I'm hoping that there is a panel I can remove.

winniman
Explorer
Explorer
Agreed on looking behind the water heater. My old coach, the bypass was in the water bay. My new to me one, I have to remove a drawer under the bedroom closet. The bypass is on the back of the water heater, and can be reached through the drawer when removed. Yours might be similar.Cheers

Beverley_Ken
Explorer
Explorer
According to your trailer specs, you have a water heater by pass. As said look inside trailer behind some panel or drawer.
I would think that very few, if any RVs made in the last 10 years do not have them factory installed/

Ken
2006 Winnebago Outlook 29B E-450.
2012 Honda CR-V AWD
Blue Ox Aventa LX tow bar and Brake Buddy Vantage.

downtheroad
Explorer
Explorer
Got to be access somewhere.....(I have to pull a drawer out and remove it from the tracks....drawer is under our wardrobe closet) water heater access is behind this drawer.

behind a drawer
behind an access panel
inside a cabinet
under a bench
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane."

Arctic Fox 25Y
GMC Duramax
Blue Ox SwayPro

D_E_Bishop
Explorer
Explorer
I hope you will take this as intended, to help you help us answer your questions. Please include the year, make and model of your rig, and your level of handyness. The make and model of the WH is also very helpful.

The bypass kit linked by SoundGuy looks great. Personally, I hope I never live or camp it places so cold I need to winterize. I do have a full system but it was in the rigs design, I guess I should make sure it works in case I am in a situation where I nee to winterize.
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to go". R. L. Stevenson

David Bishop
2002 Winnebago Adventurer 32V
2009 GMC Canyon
Roadmaster 5000
BrakeBuddy Classic II

newman_fulltime
Explorer
Explorer
attwood is not who does the bypass it is the factory.

skipro
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for the quick replys. I was able to use a bypass kit when I owned a pop-up,because I could easily access the Suburban WH. In this case, I don't believe that I can get to the water lines without removing the WH itself. I was hoping that someone who had an Atwood might chime in.

SoundGuy
Explorer
Explorer
skipro wrote:
Every year when I begin to winterize, I am faced with the problem that my Atwood 6-gal. water heater does not have a bypass. I end up getting some of the pink stuff in the tank. Is there one that I'm missing? The manual is no help.


Whether your trailer's water heater is equipped with a bypass kit has nothing to do with the water heater but rather whether your trailer manufacturer installed the water heater with a bypass. If yours doesn't have one then simply install your own water heater bypass kit OR just disconnect the intake & output lines to the water heater and couple them together.
2012 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab
2014 Coachmen Freedom Express 192RBS
2003 Fleetwood Yuma * 2008 K-Z Spree 240BH-LX
2007 TrailCruiser C21RBH * 2000 Fleetwood Santa Fe
1998 Jayco 10UD * 1969 Coleman CT380

bobndot
Explorer II
Explorer II
I think you are missing to turn one valve.

Here are some pics of a systems valve configuration, scroll down thru it.


http://www.kinstler.com/how_to/winterize_an_rv/how_to_winterize_rv.html